For You
by Azurexx
Summary: A yaoi/slash fan fiction, involving Vegeta and Goku. This is my version of the story about how these two finally ended up together. I will do my best to avoid typical Vegeta/Goku slash fan fic problems! *As of 10/23/09 in progress! *Last updated 1/02/10
1. Disclaimer and Overview

**Disclaimer and Overview!**

First and foremost, I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of its characters. Saying I do is just silly. We all know that Akira Toriyama created dragon Ball Z, so he and Funimation and Shonen Jump own all the rights and get all the monies. :)

WARNINGS: Male/male relationship and action! Also, some cursing. This fan fiction will eventually become a more mature piece as I write more of the story, so please keep in mind that the rating is M, and to be viewed by fifteen-sixteen year olds and up.

I'd just like to say that the amount of well-written Vegeta/Goku slash fan fictions that I've been able to find is just shameful. Most stories I've read are simply sex-filled scenes and are written just for the minds of teenage girls who need a grip on reality. :)

That is why I decided to write this story.

I may not be a very good writer myself, but I was sick of finding useless fics about this couple that were poorly and even sickly written.

My story will NOT contain commonly found Vegeta and Goku slash problems, such as-

-Bulma and Chi-chi bashing or the complete ignorance of their existence,  
-Pointless I'm-going-to-jump-and-sex-you-because-you-are-so-hot-and-that's-all-that-matters,  
-Vegeta and Goku need rough Saiyan sex, and so only they can fulfill each other's sexual needs,  
-Vegeta needs a good romp and Goku just wants to be loved,  
-They've secretly been in love with each other since they first met,  
and, my favorite,  
-Vegeta can do nothing but cry and all he wants is to be protected.

Any other problems not listed, I will still do my best to avoid.

So, if you like what you read, please submit a review? If I receive positive feedback, I'll keep writing! If I receive negative, I'll just delete my story and save you agony. And if I receive no feedback whatsoever… I may keep writing, but I won't be sure if it's appreciated, or if everyone wants me to stop. xD

So drop me a note, and let me know what you think? :)


	2. I'm here, for you

"Kakarot?" his voice rasped through the completely silent halls of the Son residence.

No reply.

He opened the front door, and took a step inside, calling out his rival's name once more.

"Kakarot?!" he called with more urgency.

A short muffled, gasp was what finally reached his ears. Taking a deep breath, Vegeta began to walk through the main hallway, to the back of the house. He knew the task ahead of him would be awkward in the least; it had been almost a year since he and Kakarot had seen each other.

Vegeta was here because he had felt the life force of Kakarot's mate, Chi-chi, fade at some point an hour before, and then absolutely vanish from existence about five minutes ago. And only seconds after this, Kakarot's power level had jumped and skittered upwards for a few minutes, because of distress no doubt, before receding into its normal state. Vegeta knew that Kakarot's mate had died.

The prince's cold finger's wrapped around the door knob, and he paused for a moment, hearing the weeping emitted from Kakarot on the other side of the door. Vegeta closed his eyes, desperately wanting to flee, and turn away before Kakarot knew he was there. But a sudden, choked gasp snapped him from his thoughts, jolting him back into reality. He knew that he had to open the door, and face whatever he may find on the other side. Slowly, he turned the handle of the door and pushed it open gently, peering into the darkened room.

He saw the third-class Saiyan hunched over the side of his mate's bed, gripping the sides of the bed, as he knelt on the floor. Hardened muscles of his arms flinched and flexed as he gripped the bed harder, then released, then grabbed again, making the bed creak and crack. Soft trails of tears ran down his face and cascaded to the bed sheets below him. His eyes were closed as he gritted his teeth. It seemed he was trying to block out the image of his dead wife that lay before him.

Vegeta was still a moment, before he forced his legs to carry him across the room, where Kakarot knelt. The prince wasn't sure if Kakarot had even detected him, until he stood by the younger Saiyan's side, and placed a shaking hand on the other warrior's head. It was an inept gesture, but Vegeta had never been in this sort of situation. And immediately, Goku whirled around, and grabbed Vegeta's legs, and buried his drenched face into Vegeta's stomach, crying out and holding on to the other man as if his life depended on it.

Vegeta almost hissed at the initial contact, and came extremely close to blasting the other warrior for even daring to touch him in such a way. But he froze his hand half way through the attack, realizing that Kakarot wasn't thinking clearly, and probably hadn't even realized what he was doing. Nonetheless, Vegeta stood rigid, becoming increasingly uncomfortable the longer Kakarot held his waist and let his salty tears douse the prince's spandex training suit.

Finally, Vegeta seated his self on the edge of the bed, as far away from Chi Chi's silent figure as he could be, and pulled Kakarot to sit next to him. The other Saiyan slumped next to him, holding his head in his hands, and sighing out softly from time to time. His tears had stopped, and he was becoming more coherent. But he continued to stare at the floor below him, not looking at Vegeta, and not looking at his dead wife. It was quiet for many minutes, before Vegeta tried breaking the silence.

"Kakarot… Are you…..uh…. okay?" he tried and failed.

Goku turned to look at him, eyes still wet with grief.

"I don't know." He answered weakly, and then a small sob escaped his chest, and he was wailing all over again.

Vegeta didn't know what to think of it; the sight of the most powerful warrior in the universe crying shamefully in the dark corner of a room was almost sickening to him.

But before Vegeta could say anything, a snide remark or a word of encouragement, Goku was grabbing his shoulders and burying his nose into the crook of Vegeta's neck.

The prince immediately proceeded to jump out of his skin, incredibly disturbed at feeling Kakarot's hot breath on his neck and needing hands in his dark hair. He sat stunned for a moment, faltering in thought. He wasn't appreciative of the close contact, and was close to shoving Kakarot away from him, and taking flight. But some small, diminutive feeling inside his mind stopped him, and kept his feet planted firmly on the floor and his legs glued to the bed he sat on.

It frustrated him.

Vegeta didn't understand why he wasn't yelling at the third-class baka by now, and telling him to keep his hands and body to his self. He didn't understand why he was allowing this weakness to seep over him. It was like a wave of compassion and sympathy sweeping over his entire being, threatening his very pride and core values.

He should be beating this moron for touching him and making his self and his prince appear pathetic!

But no rage ever erupted, and he remained seated and calm on the exterior. Goku continued to cry into his neck and grasp his thick, ebony locks like Vegeta was the only thing left holding him in the realm of sanity.

Without contemplating it for another moment, Vegeta reached one arm around Kakarot's back and held the other warrior's shoulder, and placed his other hand in front of his self and Kakarot, cupping the side of Kakarot's face.

And he let him cry.


	3. I'll care, for you

I've received positive feed back! 8D So here's chapter two!

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Goku gave a small sigh as he hung up the phone for about the fifteenth time. He glanced over at Vegeta, giving him a weak smile. The prince only tightened his ever-present glare and looked away, as if he had better things to do with his time. Goku only shook his head, his weak smile remaining on his face.

Goku had spent the last hour making phone calls to most of his friends, briefly giving the news of Chi-chi's death. Nearly everyone he had talked to had promised to come over immediately to see him. But Goku had stopped them, requesting they wait to visit until tomorrow. He hoped they understood his actions and didn't take offence. He simply didn't want a lot of attention right now, and would prefer to grieve for his wife alone for the time being.

"You know Vegeta, you can leave if you like. I'm okay now." Goku looked over at the prince again.

However, the prince only grunted in response, not moving from his rigid position, and continued leaning against the wall with arms crossed.

"Listen Vegeta about earlier…. I'm sorry… I just kind of lost it…" Goku trailed off, scratching his head and looking up to the ceiling with a deep frown.

"It doesn't need to be discussed." Vegeta replied, finality creeping into his voice. There was no way he was going to talk about that uncomfortable incident with Kakarot.

Goku nodded, and looked out his kitchen window, seeing Gohan landing on the front lawn. He mentally braced his self, and hoped he could be there to comfort his eldest son. He glanced at Vegeta again, remembering his own embarrassing moment of utter weakness. He was quite surprised that the prince had been so understanding and allowing. After all, if someone was sad or upset, wasn't it Vegeta who was the first to call them out for being too emotional?

The front door creaked open, and Gohan walked into the kitchen, meeting the somber face of his father and the indifferent face of Vegeta.

Gohan wasn't sure why Vegeta was present, but he didn't inquire. He simply followed his father out of the kitchen, and headed toward his parents' bedroom.

Vegeta let out a sigh, and walked over to Kakarot's dining room table, and sat down in one of the seats. He placed his head in hands and sighed again, this time, more deeply.

He wasn't sure why, but he felt… _depressed_ about the whole situation. But the reason why was not there. He knew he wasn't very upset about Chi-chi's death, because, after all, she had never liked him, and he had never liked her. She had always called him a Saiyan Pig, and hated it when Goku spent any time with him. And Vegeta had always considered her an annoying woman who never stopped screeching at her husband, sons, and friends. So, Vegeta couldn't say that her passing would bother him; but out of respect for the dead, he wasn't going to celebrate it or anything. And whether it mattered to him or not if she was dead, it mattered to Kakarot.

'_Is that why I'm having these weakling emotions? I am bothered that Kakarot is in pain?'_

Vegeta shook his head, as if trying to physically clear away his thoughts. He didn't want to have these feeble and wretched feelings. He didn't want to let his rival's emotions affect him. He didn't want this situation that had nothing to do with him interfere with his life.

But instead of getting up from the table and leaving like he had wanted to do for hours, he stayed. He couldn't bring his self to desert Kakarot, even though Gohan had arrived and Kakarot wouldn't be alone.

Soft footsteps alerted him of Goten, who had just entered the kitchen area. Their eyes met for a moment before Vegeta muttered nervously that Gohan and Kakarot were in his parents' room with his mother.

Goten seemed a little dumbfounded that Vegeta was here, but he did not question. He nodded to the prince, and quickly departed, heading toward the back of the house where his father and brother were.

Vegeta went back to brooding in his personal thoughts.

After about an hour, Vegeta looked up, to see Gohan heading toward the phone in the kitchen, undoubtedly to make funeral arrangements and call anyone Goku had forgotten. Goten was off by the coffee maker, preparing four cups of coffee.

Goku came and sat next to Vegeta, letting out a small sigh, his shoulders drooping.

Vegeta was silent. He had no idea what to say, and figured that silence was golden for this situation. Knowing him, he'd probably say the wrong thing again, like last time, and end making Kakarot break down into a fit of tears.

'_And why does that even bother me?! Shouldn't it be a wonderful sight, Kakarot crying?'_ But his stomach turned at this thought.

Soon, fortunately for Vegeta, Goten had placed four cups of coffee on the table, and Gohan was sitting in his chair at the small table.

"Dad, the arrangements have been made. The funeral home will be coming to get her… we decided to have the service in two days, on Tuesday…" Gohan trailed off at this point, not knowing if he could say anymore to his grief-stricken father.

"Okay son." Goku replied faintly, peering down in the endless depths on his black coffee that sat before him.

There was a long hush between them, each Saiyan and Demi-Saiyan thinking about different subjects.

Finally, Goten broke the silence, asking a question that no one had answered yet.

"Dad, where will you stay tonight?"

Goku gave him a startled look.

"Um, here. It's where I've been sleeping for the past twenty years or so after we defeated Buu…." He scratched his head, not sure what to think of Goten's odd question.

"You can't be serious, Kakarot." Vegeta snarled, making all of the Sons jump and turn to stare at him. He continued, unfazed.  
"Do you really think your pitiful human emotions could handle that?"

Goku suddenly realized what Vegeta was saying. Of course! He hadn't thought about the fact he would be sleeping alone for the first time in years, without his wife. That he would lay in _their_ bed, but only _he_ would be there. He would be alone in the house that Chi-chi had lived in for more than fifty years with and without him.

The very thought of it pricked his eyes with tears. And before he could will his self to stop, fat tears were running down his face, like they had a few hours before.

"Please Kakarot…" Vegeta said, his voice tinged with disgust at the show of more crying.

Goku quickly rested his head in his hands, covering his face, trying to stop the emotional onslaught that continued to get the better of him. He let out a shaky breath, trying to collect his self before Vegeta could make another snarky remark.

But instead, he felt a hand on the top of his arm. He didn't bother looking. He knew it was Vegeta, because the hand was enveloped in a soft, cotton glove.

"Kakarot, why don't you come back to Capsule Corp with me?" he heard Vegeta say.

In amazement, he removed his hands from his face, quickly rubbing away any more tears from his eyes, and looked at Vegeta. He couldn't believe the other rough Saiyan had just generously offered him a place to stay where he wouldn't be alone.

"Are you sure it's alright with Bulma?" Goku asked.

Vegeta crossed his arms, and glared at him.

"I don't care if it's alright or not. You're staying with me, and if she doesn't like that, I'll blast her into the next dimension."

Gohan and Goten both gasped in unison. But Goku only chuckled. He knew Vegeta cared about Bulma very much, and would never do anything to harm her. As much as he might complain about the woman or argue with her, Goku knew that Vegeta really did love his mate, seeing as he had stayed with her after their son had been born, and had even had a second child, Bura, with Bulma.

"Alright. It's settled then." Goku finally said, waving his hands and laughing in a nervous gesture, hoping his sons would calm down.

"Dad-" Goten began.

"No, Goten, he was just kidding." Goku answered, knowing exactly what his son was going to ask.

Goku turned to Vegeta.

"I'll just go get a few things from…. my room."

Vegeta nodded slightly, and stood. He walked over to the front door, and quickly went outside, glad to be leaving the Son home.

Goku appeared a few minutes later, carrying a suit case.

"Gohan said he and Goten would stay here until the funeral home came to get Chi-chi. I guess he's handled everything… so we just have to go to the service in a couple of days…" Goku reported.

"……"

"Ah, right. I know, you're always one for conversation 'Geta." Goku said, laughing slightly.

"Ugh, come on!" Vegeta growled as he burst of the ground and flew into the blue skies.

Goku shook his head and smirked before blasting off after him.


	4. I'll stay, for you

Hey everyone! I'm glad to be receiving positive feedback still, so I've decided I will, without a doubt, keep writing. :)  
I'd like to thank everyone who's taken the time to submit a review! And especially to Laurie; your words of encouragement are very nice to read. :)  
So, here's Chapter 3! I'll be doing my best to update the story a few times a week, if not more. (Just depends on what's possible in my schedule.)

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The flight over to Capsule Corp was brief, seeing as both Saiyans could fly at incredible speeds. Before much time had passed, Vegeta and Goku were landing on the emerald grasses in the front yard of the main complex.

Goku took a deep breath as Vegeta proceeded to lead him through the entrance, and then through a series of hallways, further into the building. He tried to take note of which directions Vegeta went, but soon, he was completely lost. With his head spinning, Goku let out a small chuckle.

"Gee, how long did it take you to learn how to make your way through this place, 'Geta?" he asked.

Vegeta didn't bother responding to him.

After a little more walking, they found Bulma, sitting on a living room couch, intently reading a book. She seemed very absorbed in the book, and didn't even notice the arrival of the two warriors.

"Hey Bulma." Goku greeted after a moment, setting his suit case on the floor.

Bulma looked up, and inhaled sharply, surprised at seeing her childhood friend after so long.

"Goku!" she welcomed, struggling to her feet. Her face contorted into a grimace of pain for a moment, as she toiled to push her body off the cushions of the couch. It was very apparent to Goku that she had aged just as much as Chi-chi had, and was now fragile and feeble in her aged years.

He was just about to protest, and tell her to stay sitting, when Vegeta suddenly reached out for his mate. Goku watched in fascination as Vegeta bent down to tenderly embrace Bulma, easily pulling her tiny frame from the sofa, and then stood to his full height, holding her like the delicate being she was. He then slowly shifted his grip and let her feet touch the ground, and held her for a few moments while she steadied herself. It took her a few seconds, but Vegeta stood patiently, keenly watching her and holding most of her weight while she stabilized and was able to stand on her own. He slowly let his arms drop back to his sides; ready to catch her if her strength should suddenly fail.

"Silly woman. You shouldn't waste your energy like that." Vegeta said, but not unkindly like one might expect of him.

"That's why I have you." She replied, and gave him a radiant smile. Then she turned to Goku, and motioned for him to come over to her.

Goku was motionless for a second, as he suddenly felt choked up at the display of affection he had just witnessed. It was like a slap on his face, reminding him why he was here. Chi-chi was gone.

But he made his way over to the other side of the living room, and leaned down to hug Bulma as she had wanted. He gave the utmost care to not use any strength while embracing her; he didn't want to hurt her in any way.

He pulled back after a few moments, and said quietly,  
"I think you should sit down again. You know, save your strength and all like Vegeta said."

"Nonsense, Goku. I'm not helpless yet. It's just a little difficult to get up after I've been lying down. Come, let's go into the kitchen and have a nice cup of tea. I wanted to talk to you." Bulma replied. Then she began to turn and slowly walk toward the dining area of her home, a small limp visible in her stride. Quickly, Vegeta moved over to her, and clutched her side, helping her balance. He walked away with her, patiently moving as slowly as she did.

Goku took a deep breath and averted his gaze, trying to think of other things. He grabbed his suit case, and followed them into the kitchen, and sat down at the small table that was there. It seemed that Vegeta and Bulma had downsized a lot of their home since Trunks and Bura had moved out to start their own lives like all offspring do.

Bulma joined him as Vegeta helped her gradually sink into the chair. Then he turned away and walked over to the stove top and cupboard, and began to fix tea for Bulma and Goku.

It amazed Goku to see Vegeta completely caring for his mate in such a manner. Sure, he expected Vegeta to be nicer to her than he had been in the past, and maybe be a little more helpful to Bulma in her elderly state. But it did come as a surprise that the prickly prince was tending to her absolutely, doing everything he could for her.

"I'm glad to see you're in good hands." Goku commented, looking at Bulma with an encouraging smile.

"Oh yes." She nodded in agreement, turning to look at Vegeta, then turning back to Goku, her smile as beautiful as ever.

"So, how have you been? Anything interesting happen recently?" he asked her.

"Ah, Goku, things have been very quiet the past few years. I haven't been feeling up to working in my lab most days… although, Vegeta sometimes will take a day off from his training, and assist me in fiddling with my gadgets when I'm feeling well enough." She replied.

"Really? Imagine that." He smirked, knowing very well that the prince was glaring at him from across the room.  
"How have Trunks and Bura been?" he asked.

Bulma smiled.  
"I don't see Trunks very often anymore; he's president of Capsule Corp now as you know. He's very busy with his work… plus, he's got a family now." She winked at Goku.

Goku nodded, a grin stretching across his face. Trunks and Pan had been married for about a year now, and now had started their own family. It seemed like yesterday that Trunks had asked Gohan and Videl, if he could marry their daughter.

It had been a great shock to the entire Z-Senshi. No one had suspected that Trunks and Pan were dating; the couple had taken great care to keep it secret. They had good reason too; they knew that Pan's parents wouldn't approve of her dating Trunks. After all, he was almost thirty, and she was barely eighteen. But after the couple had decided that they wanted to become mates and bond to each other for a lifetime, Trunks had to confront his parents and then Pan's parents.

Convincing his father had been easy for Trunks; Vegeta had accepted his son's choice, mainly because Pan was the strongest female available. Trunks hadn't liked the reason _why_ his father was keen for him to mate with Pan, but had taken his father's blessing nonetheless. And convincing Bulma wasn't necessary; she was already planning the wedding minutes after he told her.

But when Trunks had confronted Gohan, there had almost been a battle between the two great warriors. Gohan had been greatly upset by the fact that Trunks had been seeing his daughter without permission for almost a year and a half.

But in the end, everything was settled. Trunks married Pan to make Videl, Chi-Chi, and Bulma happy, and had properly taken her as his mate to make Gohan and Vegeta happy. And only about a month after their marriage, they had announced Pan was pregnant, and soon after she had birthed a son; whom was named Vegeta, after his own father.

Goku was snapped back into reality as Vegeta placed a cup of steaming tea in front on Bulma, and then in front of him.

"I'll be training." He said gruffly before turning away to leave.

"Okay, honey buns." Bulma said, laughing as Vegeta growled and stalked out of the room.

Goku didn't laugh until Vegeta was out of sight. Hey, Vegeta might have been extra nice to him today, but he wasn't about to press his luck. Vegeta probably had a 'nice guy' maximum or something.

"Hmmm… so Goku, I wanted to talk to you about something." Bulma said a few seconds later, her gaze dropping any sort of lightness.

"Yeah, Bulma? What is it?" he asked, titling his head slightly.

"Well, I wanted to tell you again that I'm sorry about Chi-chi… I spent a long time crying after we got off the phone this morning. But I can't imagine how you feel Goku… and well, even though there's nothing I can do to take your hurt away, I want you to know that I'm here for you, and if there's anything I can do for you, please, let me know."

Goku simply nodded, not trusting his voice.

Bulma continued.  
"Listen, Goku. I don't want to have this conversation with you right now… but… this may be one of my last opportunities to speak with you, alone. I don't want Vegeta to hear any of this discussion."

Goku nodded again, and she went on once more.

"When I heard of Chi-chi's passing, it made me start to think of my own future. I'm older than she was; and I can't fool myself anymore. I know my strength is fading, and my time on earth isn't going to last much longer. This doesn't bother me though; I've lived a very fruitful life, and I wouldn't go back to change anything."

"But Goku, I'm worried about Vegeta. When I die, Vegeta will be, for the most part, alone. Both of our children are living on their own, starting their own lives away from Vegeta and me. And whether you can believe it or not, Vegeta will be greatly affected by my passing."

Goku was about to interrupt, and tell her of course Vegeta would, but she held up a hand, keeping him silent.

"That's why I want you to promise me that you will stay with him after I'm no longer here. You will be the only friend he has, and most importantly, you two will be the only ones to live for the next eight hundred years or so. I've already guessed that even Trunks, Bura, Gohan, Goten, Pan, Vegeta Jr., and any other Demi-Saiyans to come after will have a significantly shorter life span. I've calculated they may only live to be a hundred and fifty years each."

Goku's eyes got wider. He hadn't even thought of any of this.

"So that means, you and Vegeta will eventually watch your children pass away, and I suspect Vegeta will completely disappear and quit involving his self with our families once his grandchildren have passed away."

She paused, taking a sip of her tea, hands shaking ever so slightly.

"This leaves you, Goku. You will live for another eight hundred years like he will." She stopped here, finally seeing that Goku understood what she was asking.

He cleared his throat.  
"So, you want me to stick with 'Geta?" Goku asked.

"Yes, Goku. Please. I would give anything to stay with him forever, but I'm afraid nothing can be done about this; considering we aren't allowed to use the Dragon Balls anymore."

"I promise then. I promise I'll stay with Vegeta, and watch over him after you're gone." Goku replied.

She gave him a smile, and reached over the table to hug him.

"Thanks, Goku! I know I can count on you." She said as she grasped him weakly.

"For what?" Vegeta suddenly asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

Goku turned to see the prince striding into the kitchen, a frown forever imprinted on his face.

"Don't worry about it sweetie." Bulma laughed, and laughed harder as her pet name caused Vegeta to blush profusely.

"Hmp. I suppose you want to continue reading that book of yours in the other room?" the prince replied.

Bulma nodded, and Vegeta strolled over to her, helping her up, and then taking her into his strong arms. Then he walked over into the study room, and laid her gently on the sofa she had been laying on earlier when reading. Before he could stand up to his full height, Bulma gave him a quick kiss on his cheek, and had the satisfaction of seeing him blush. He quickly left the room, and she giggled to herself.

"That man and I have shared the same bed for sixty years, and he still gets embarrassed over that."

Vegeta made his way back to the kitchen and stopped, looking at Goku for a second. He looked like he was trying to decide how useful Goku would be in a spar.

"Sure Vegeta, I'll spar with you." Goku said, hoping to please the prince.

"Hmp. We can do that in a minute. Don't you want to unpack your suitcase?" he stated this more than asked.

"Oh, right!" Goku exclaimed, going back to grab his suit case from the kitchen. When he returned, Vegeta was already walking away, toward the living quarters of the large complex.

"Now, Kakarot, try not to get lost!" he commanded.

"Yes, O Mighty One!" he replied, bowing slightly as Vegeta turned to scowl at him.

With an angry grunt Vegeta strode away, his tail flicking in annoyance.


	5. I'll wait, for you

Sorry guys for the delay on the update! I *promise* I won't quit writing, I just have been extremely busy. I'll try and promise at least one update a week though! Keep reading... please! 8D

And thanks again for all of the positive feedback!

* * *

It was Tuesday morning, and he was running late.

It was Tuesday morning, and he was running late because he couldn't peel his eyes off the mirror before him, and force his legs to carry him down the stairs.

Goku let out a long sigh, fiddling with the tie on the suit Bulma had bought for him. He knew very well that Vegeta and Bulma were waiting down stairs for him, and both of them were more than likely tapping their feet from impatience. But he just couldn't bring his self to leave the comfortable room, and go to his wife's funeral.

The Saiyan's mind drifted as he continued to stare at his primped reflection on the clean glass. He had promised his friends he would visit with them the day after Chichi's death; but when the next day had rolled around, he had asked Bulma to call everyone and tell them he would just see them all at the funeral.

And so, for the past couple of days, he had stayed in his bed, and refused to leave the isolated room. Vegeta had even come to check on him various times throughout the days, sometimes leaving him capsules of food, and other times, trying to coax him into talking, or at least leaving the blasted room. Goku had pushed him away every time though, not even considering how the rejection was angering the other Saiyan. All Goku wanted was to be left alone for the time being, and he didn't have the energy to be fighting with anyone; especially Vegeta.

"Kakarot!!!" he heard an angry bellow from the bottom of the stairs that led to his private room.

Goku gave a sigh. He knew they had to leave now, so that they could arrive a little early. And he didn't exactly want to step all over Vegeta's nerves at this point in time.

He turned the light off in the room, and opened the door, and met the gaze of an extremely intolerant Saiyan Prince. Goku tried to smile at him as he made his way down the stairs, but Vegeta simply turned his back and strode away to the front entrance of the home. Goku followed swiftly after him and raced into the hovering craft that Bulma was waiting in.

"Alright guys, let's go." She said as Goku scrambled into his seat in the back, and Vegeta calmly sat in the passenger's seat.

Then they were off the drive way, and Capsule Corp was disappearing behind them as Bulma took the machine higher into the sky, and settled it at a steady 70 miles per hour speed.

"I still don't see the reason for sitting in this contraption to travel. Kakarot and I can travel at three times this thing's speeds, easily." Vegeta scoffed, arms crossed.

"Well, maybe _you _and _Goku_ can, but _I_ can't!" Bulma almost hissed at him.

Goku sunk lower in his seat, becoming nervous.

However, Vegeta just grunted in annoyance, silently deciding against continuing the argument.

Bulma gave a victorious smile, pleased at winning the battle against Vegeta so easily.

Soon, they had arrived at Goku's home, where the funeral was to be held. Gohan had opted for a small, private ceremony in the Son backyard, and had decided to bury his mother in a beautiful setting upon a small hill that overlooked the wild lands and valley behind the Son residence.

The three exited the vehicle, and made their way to the back. Vegeta promptly scurried away to a corner, to sit alone to wait for the funeral to begin. But Bulma and Goku were immediately surrounded by friends and family members. Goku had planned on sticking with the grumpy prince, but soon, friends he had seen last week to those he hadn't seen in years were crowding around him, all at once trying to offer condolences. Normally, he fared well in crowds, and he thrived on the attention he received when in large groups. But after a few minutes, he was becoming restless. His nerves were on end, but the flustering crowd still demanded his attention.

Just when he felt he was going to have to blast into the sky to get the space he needed, he heard Vegeta's voice roar.

"KAKAROT!"

Immediately, the place became deathly quiet, as everyone turned to stare at Vegeta. Most people were still afraid of him all these years later. But the few who didn't fear him gave him looks of animosity, as they were clearly irritated that he should interrupt their time with Goku.

However, Goku was very glad for the diversion, and he quickly pushed through the crowd, trying his best not to run to Vegeta like he was his savior. People began to grumble, but eventually moved away to their seats, as they waited for the funeral to begin.

"Thanks, buddy!" Goku exclaimed as he and Vegeta stood off to the side of Goku's house.

"Don't call me that!" Vegeta growled, turning to glare at an innocent tree.

"Alright." Goku said, nodding.

Vegeta turned back to look at him. He stared at him a few moments, his mouth opened slightly. Goku realized he wanted to say something, but seemed to be at a loss for words.

"Yes?" he questioned, looking back at the Prince with a curious tilt of his head.

Vegeta simply grunted, and looked away. He seemed embarrassed.

"Come on Vegeta!"

Vegeta looked back at him.

"I was simply going to ask you what you plan on doing today… after they… uh… the ceremony." Vegeta chose his words carefully, turning to face away from Goku again.

Goku looked up at the gray skies above, scratching his head slightly. He hadn't even pondered his future up until this point. He had been living on an hour to hour basis, not really thinking ahead for anything. He finally exhaled his breath loudly, as if he really wasn't certain about what he was going to say.

"I think I'll stay here. I'm really grateful for you guys allowing me to stay with you… and for this snazzy new suit too," he laughed here, but was met by Vegeta's silent stare, so he continued. "But, my home is here, and I think I'll be content to live here and train… kind of like I've always done whenever I wasn't dead." He laughed.

"Or out training with random natives." Vegeta added, spite creeping into his voice.

Goku titled his head, wondering why Vegeta had just brought up his training with Uub.

As if he had read his mind, Vegeta whirled to face Goku.

"You always had a knack for that Kakarot! Leaving everyone you knew to just run off and do whatever you damn well pleased! Life got a little boring during the time between the big threats from outer space, so how did you solve it? You'd make up an excuse, and you'd either go off to die and train in other world, or you'd run off to the other side of the globe to waste your time elsewhere, doing anything else that could hold your microscopic attention span!"

"But I had to-" Goku began to protest, but was cut off by an enraged Vegeta.

"No Kakarot! I don't want to hear it!" Vegeta screamed, his flickering to blonde as he powered up, getting ready to launch his self at the younger Saiyan.

"Vegeta?! What are you doing?! _Why are so angry at me_?!" Goku screamed back, also powering up.

But before anything could be done, Gohan was at his father's side, speaking calmly.

"Dad, it's time for it to start. Please come take your seat." He grabbed Goku's arm lightly, tugging at him.

Goku continued staring at Vegeta as he slowly powered down into his normal state. By now, most everyone there was staring at the three of them, but Goku did not care. He kept his gaze guarded against Vegeta as he tried to figure out what exactly had caused the situation to almost escalate into a battle so quickly.

Vegeta only glared back, his teeth locked together as he grimaced at Goku. Then, as suddenly as his temper had flared, he powered down, and regained his ebony colored hair. With a grunt, he walked past Goku, and went to his seat, settling beside Bulma, leaving only one seat open.

Goku followed him, and wearily sat down next to Vegeta, feeling very uneasy to be so close to the prince after what had just occurred. However, the man in charge of overseeing the funeral began, and Goku made his self put the scuffle with Vegeta out of his mind, and focus on his wife's ceremony and tribute.

However, Vegeta's mind was elsewhere.

'_Ugh, I can't believe that clown! How dare he! He simply stood there, the bastard, and tried to pretend like he had no clue what I was talking about! Ever since I came to this blasted planet to try and defeat him, he has done nothing but evade me the entire time! Every fucking time I turned around, he was dead, or he had left the planet on one of his clown adventures!'_

'_And I was stupid enough to believe that things would change after we defeated Buu, together. Together, damn it! I thought he'd finally see me differently… he'd think I was worth his fucking, precious time! But no… when we returned to earth, there was a party, and that was the last I saw of him for five years.'_

'_For five years, I tried not to think about him, and just continue my training and life with my family. And then, out of the blue, Bulma decides she wants to visit Kakarot… so we fly over to find him training in a field with his youngest brat, Goten. And when Kakarot sees us, he greets us as if he saw us just yesterday! The bastard! Not giving a damn about time or what goes on around him!'_

'_And only days later, when we're together for the first time in years, and we're actually going to fight in the tournament, something I had only dreamed of, he meets some… some… child! And he decides in a heart-beat to train with this complete stranger, and to leave everyone... me… again. Before I know it, the clown is approaching me, abandoning the fight with the strange, dark-colored boy, and telling me good bye.'_

'_And I want to scream at him… I want to just scream at him and tell him he can't leave again! But I don't… I only accept his good bye, and say nearly nothing to him. And he smiles at me one last time… and then he's miles away in the air, that boy following him, as he disappears out of my life once more… always once more.'_

'_And he's gone again, but longer this time. And while he's gone, everything changes. His mate and my mate both age drastically. His brats grow up and move out… my brats grow up and move out. I lose interest in my training. And I start to fear I will have Bulma only so much longer… she became so much weaker, so quickly. And I begin to wonder if I should end my own existence once my mate dies. Not because I am a weakling that needs suicide to escape reality, but because I will have no purpose when she is gone. Because beating Kakarot means nothing anymore, because he is not here. Training will mean nothing, since I am one of the two strongest beings in existence. Because I have no Saiyan race left to rule. Because without Bulma or my brats needing me, there is nothing left in my life that will compel me to live another eight hundred years.'_

'_But alas! One day, more than nine years later, he returns! The sad thing is, I can sense his return the moment he is home, but he doesn't seek me out. I know he can sense me the way I sense him, but he never comes looking for me… to spar, to talk… hell, not even to eat my food! So, I stay away from him. I do not tell Bulma he is home, and I do not speak about him anymore.'_

'_And it would have gone along that way forever, had not his screeching, harpy mate called mine on their telephone contraption, to invite us over to their house one day. Bulma gladly accepts, and drags me along. And Kakarot and I meet for the first time in nearly a decade. Neither of us has changed in appearance or manner. And I try my best to spend the day with him… eating everything our mates cook for us, sparring, and talking about old battles. But I can tell he is somehow distant toward me. And as the day comes to a close, I decide I wish to never see him nor speak with him again. He is still Kakarot, but he is too different toward me… I can feel the cold.'_

'_But the day his mate died… only a few days ago… I couldn't help but to seek him out. My pride had screamed at me that it was a mistake; he was of no concern to me, therefore, I should leave him alone, and not bother with him, just as I had decided a year before when I had last seen him. But I went anyway, and… damn it! I shouldn't have. Because these old, bitter emotions have come back. I thought I had put them to rest, but now that he is inches from me again, I feel the burdens of my heart as fresh and heavy as ever.'_

'_Damn you Kakarot… what have you done to me?' _


	6. I'm strong, for you

Hey everyone! *pokes out from under rock* I know it might seem like I'm giving up on the story, but I promise I'm not. It's just difficult for me to find time to write with school and the holidays! I'll do my best to add chapters as often as I can, but they may only be added weekly.

Thanks for all of the reviews! It really helps me to keep writing! Thanks again Laurie, and also to Lady-Indis, Stir, and Snape. :) Your reviews are very nice to read.

Now, on to our next chapter!

* * *

The ceremony was over, and friends and family members to Chi-Chi and Goku were passing by her opened casket, bidding their final farewells. Goku remained in his seat that was across from his lifeless mate, and did his best to accept the condolences that everyone continued to offer him. He felt trapped there, because he couldn't just leave. Soon, they would bury Chi-Chi in the earth, and he would not see her again. If he flew away now, he wouldn't get a chance to give his wife a proper, final good bye. He reminded his self this as the minutes ticked by, and his frustration at the crowd grew. Was it so much to ask, to be left alone now with his mate?

Vegeta watched through narrowed eyes at the third class baka that practically wilted in his seat from exhaustion. Vegeta wasn't about to go and save him again though; oh no. He was much too angry at Kakarot still, for the earlier incident. With a grunt of finality, he turned to stare at the soft, green lands that encompassed the entire Son property. He would not waste anymore of his time on the other Saiyan.

"Hey handsome," he heard a familiar voice.

Vegeta turned to see Bulma standing a few feet behind him, a smile on her face. He began to redden slightly, but was able to keep his voice steady when he replied.

"What is it woman?" he replied.

"I'm just checking up on your Royal Highness. You're off sulking in a corner; as I expected anyway," Bulma said, her smile growing.

"This human ceremony meant nothing to me."

Bulma simply shook her head, still grinning.

"I know Vegeta. But I think it's wonderful that you were here today… to support Goku."

Vegeta only growled in a feral manner as a response.

Bulma sighed, her smile slowly disappearing. Vegeta noticed her change in mood, and immediately walked over to her.

"Woman, what's wrong?" he asked, fearing she was physically weak or fatigued.

"Vegeta, can you do something for me?" Bulma asked, suddenly leaning against him for support, resting her head against his chest.

"If you aren't feeling well, we can leave--" he began, but was cut off by her voice.

"No, it's not that. I just want you to do something, for me… and I don't want you to ask questions, I just want you to do it."

Vegeta was silent. But Bulma knew that was his way of accepting what she was saying.

"I've got a ride home with Krillan and 18 set up; we're going to be leaving shortly. But I want you to stay here, and talk to Goku," she finished.

Vegeta gave a grunt of surprise, looking at his mate with wide, confused eyes.

"Talk to Kakarot? What the hell about?!" he demanded, giving her a very suspicious glare.

"Vegeta, just fucking do it!" she yelled back at him, not at all frightened by his threatening look.

"No! I can't stand being around that clown! Why the hell would I waste more of my time on him?!"

Bulma slammed her fists against his chest in frustration, which he could hardly feel.

"Woman, why are you bothering me with this?!" he bellowed.

"Vegeta, I don't have the strength to argue with you…" she said, taking a calmer approach.

"And I don't have the time to waste on Kakarot!" Vegeta replied, his tail flicking in irritation.

"You have _plenty_ of time. Now, please… just go and talk to him? Please, Vegeta."

The Saiyan Prince was silent for a few moments, as he studied his tiring mate's face. He couldn't figure out why the hell she wanted him to talk to Kakarot so badly. And had this been a few years ago, he sure as hell wouldn't have accepted defeat so easily, and obeyed her command like a little lap dog. But tonight; he could plainly see she was not as strong as she used to be. She was still being a pain in the ass, just as she had always been; but there was no way he was going to drag out their battle now, because he could see she just didn't have the energy for it.

"Fine," he finally muttered, casting his glare to the side.

"Thanks Vegeta!" Bulma squealed, leaning over to give him an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

He immediately began blushing profusely, and he cleared his throat loudly.

Bulma giggled, and began to walk toward the front of the house, and called over her shoulder to him.

"I have the car in a capsule; you won't need it to get home anyway! I love you sweet cheeks!"

Vegeta heard an uproar of laughter, and turned around to see Krillin and 18 standing at the front of the house next to their car. They were both red in the face and laughing as hard as their lungs would allow. Apparently, they had watched the entire scene unfold.

Vegeta growled and stalked around to the back yard of the Son home, where Goku still stood with a few straggling guests that hadn't left yet. The poor Saiyan's shoulders drooped, and the spark that used to lie in his eyes had completely vanished. Vegeta exhaled loudly, and then marched toward Goku and the other guests.

"Thanks for coming. You can leave now," Vegeta coldly stated as he stopped in front of them.

Goku inwardly groaned, bringing his hand to cover his face.

"Now, hold up, sir. Chi-Chi was our friend, and we deserve to--" the formally dressed man began.

"Get the hell away, before I blast you into the next dimension you weak earthling!" Vegeta yelled, raising his fist in a very dangerous gesture.

The man took one look at Vegeta's bulging biceps, and thought better.

"Come Cynthia, we're leaving. You too Gerald; come son."

He quickly led his elegantly dressed wife and son away. A moment later, only Goku and Vegeta remained. Thunder began to sound lightly, off in the distance. The sky had darkened, even though it was only late afternoon.

There was an extremely awkward silence that unfolded between them, before Vegeta finally spoke up.

"Where are your brats, Kakarot?"

"They left… and went home… they didn't want to stay for the burial…" Goku replied, trailing off weakly.

"And you're going to stay for the burial?" Vegeta inquired.

"I feel like… I have to. Ya know?" Goku replied, managing a small and half-hearted smile.

"I'd expect nothing less from a true warrior." Vegeta nodded.

Suddenly, a burly man interjected on their conversation. He had just arrived at the Son residence, and was obviously one of the grave diggers that had been hired. His clothes were worn and dirty, and his face sported a scraggly beard that was in dire need of attention. In the least, he was not pleasant to look at. Even his voice was a bit irking, rasping and tinged like he had mucus in his throat.

"Heya, buddy. We're going to start piling the dirt up now."

Goku looked at him, and suddenly, his gaze went from lifeless to angry.

"No, that's alright. I can handle it from here." Goku replied, his hands clenched at his sides.

"Naw, buddy, ya can't be serious. That casket probably weighs like--"

"I SAID, I can handle it." Goku cut him off, taking a step forward.

The man backed away slowly, giving a nervous grin and waving his hands in an apologetic manner. Once he was a safe distance away, he spun around, and raced to a company van that was parked in the driveway. He quickly hopped into the nearby van, before speeding away with his coworkers.

Goku began walking over to Chichi's opened casket, his steps seeming slow and unsure. Vegeta averted his gaze elsewhere, and did not move from where he stood. He knew that the other Saiyan would want a few final minutes with his mate before he would finally be able to let her go. The Saiyan Prince focused on the storm cloud patterns that rolled across the bleak skies, trying to ignore the sympathy he was beginning to feel for Kakarot.

A few minutes later, he saw movement out of the corner of his sight. He looked over to see Kakarot picking up his mate's casket, and beginning to walk a little further away from where the funeral had been held, toward a small hill and garden about a hundred yards away. Without a word, Vegeta began to trail him.

As they reached the burial site, Goku held out one arm, and fired a small ki blast at the ground, just beside a large cherry blossom tree and small arrangement of flowers that sat planted there. Dirt flew in all directions as a pit appeared, perfectly sized for the casket. Without hesitation, he lowered the casket into the earth, only pausing to stare once it had been placed there. For a few heart beats, there was a somber silence that stretched out; not a single thing of nature made noise, and even Vegeta held his breath.

But the hush was broken as small droplets of water began to fall from the desolate clouds above them. They began in a light drizzle for a handful of seconds, and then became more intense. Soon both Goku and Vegeta were drenched in the cold precipitation. But Goku still didn't move, his onyx eyes entirely focused on the casket.

Vegeta stepped forward a couple of paces, and placed his hand on Goku's shoulder, awkwardly trying to condole the other Saiyan. Goku had no reaction under his touch for a moment, and Vegeta wondered if he could even feel him, or if he was so far away in his mind that he wasn't mentally present.

But then he felt Goku inhale sharply, and saw tears beginning to trickle down his pale face. Vegeta inwardly sighed, knowing he was about to sit through a repeat of Kakarot's breakdown.

But Goku did not turn to him to cling to him like he had before. Instead, he seemed to be ignoring Vegeta, which puzzled the Saiyan Prince.

"I'm so weak," Goku's voice rasped.

"N-no you aren't," Vegeta countered, surprised at Goku's outlandish train of thought.

"Don't bullshit me Vegeta. You've never missed an opportunity to tell me that I was," the younger Saiyan chuckled with spite.

"I… well, I just…" Vegeta struggled.

But there was no need for him to reply, because Goku wasn't listening. The taller Saiyan brought his hands to his face, as if covering his self in shame. A second later, he had sunk to the ground on his knees, softly weeping over the grave of Chichi.

'_Oh, for Kame's sake!_' Vegeta thought, furrowing his brow. '_Does he have no dignity?!_'

But as he stared at Goku, completely broken and crying in the never-ceasing rain, he felt guilty for ever berating him.

Slowly, he kneeled on the muddy terrain, ignoring the unpleasant cold that greeted him. The Saiyan Prince reached out, and gently grabbed Goku's hands to hold them in his own, murmuring to him in a hushed tone.

"It's going to be okay."

Goku met his gaze, and for a moment that seemed to last far longer than a few heart beats, he stared into the depths of the Saiyan Prince's eyes, as if searching for an answer. He said nothing, but only gripped Vegeta's hands tighter, as if giving a silent plea for help from the prince.

Without hesitating, Vegeta pulled him into an embrace, wrapping his sturdy arms around Goku's shoulders.

At first Goku sat rigid in his hold, caught off guard by the other's caring motion. But tentatively, he accepted the hold around his chest and grasped Vegeta tightly. He nestled his nose into the Saiyan Prince's neck, feeling reassured by the other Saiyan's strength.

Vegeta could feel his skin tingling by the contact. But he said nothing. He suddenly felt outright confused by his feelings towards Kakarot, which bothered him greatly. Conditions between them had always been tense, but during the past few years, he had lost a lot of his fury and pure hatred for the other Saiyan. But something that had never left him was his resentment at Kakarot; the resentment for always being left behind or counted out by the younger warrior. Now, for once, it felt like Kakarot _truly_ needed him, and he felt like it was impossible to turn him away or abandon him; which was exactly why he was perplexed. Maybe his mortal hatred for Kakarot had died; but that didn't mean he had forgiven him for all the embarrassment, humiliation, and times he had deserted him.

Rain continued to cascade from the heavens, dousing everything under its darkened skies. A strong breeze had begun to blow, scattering droplets of precipitation every which way, and chilling the earth. Goku was freezing and struggling not to shiver in the downpour of glacial rain as he continued to softly cry next to the grave of his mate.

But as he sat in the cold night's rain and grieved, he felt more at peace than he had in days, simply because it was _Vegeta_ that was holding him.


	7. I'm hurting, for you

Hello everyone! My apologies for not updating in nearly a month... my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this month, so I've been busy driving her to hospital appointments and helping her work everything out. I'll continue to work on my story, as I have great plans for it. However, please be understanding; I don't find myself with a lot of time these days as you can immagine. Please keep my mother in your thoughts and/or prayers. It would really mean a lot to me.

Thank you for the continuous support and feedback! This chapter is an itsy-bit shorter than most chapters, but I've already begun work on the next chapter, so sit tight. :)

* * *

Warmth was all around him as he gradually awoke from his tranquil slumber. His senses became alert of the surroundings as he left unconsciousness, and his eyes soon fluttered open, adjusting to the dim, soft light easily. For a second, he wondered why he was in his living room, and not in his bed. Then the memories of yesterday flooded his mind, and he remembered.

Chi-chi was dead.

He was alone.

He narrowed his eyes at this thought.

No, he wasn't alone. Vegeta had been with him after the funeral. Where was he now?

His heart skipped a beat, as he realized there was a very warm body underneath him.

He carefully raised his head, and looked up, to see Vegeta's head slumped into the side of the couch cushions. The Saiyan Prince's scowl was absent, and his mouth was left slightly agape as he breathed softly in his sleep. He looked truly at peace, which was something Goku was certain her had never witnessed before this moment. He couldn't help but stare for a few moments, almost in awe at how nice Vegeta really looked. But he soon averted his gaze, almost embarrassed at the thought of finding Vegeta attractive looking. But before he could scold his self, Goku suddenly remembered coming inside his home, escaping from the pouring rain, last night. He faintly remembered Vegeta going Super Saiyan to quickly dry both of themselves off, since they had both been drenched in the cold rain they had been standing in, then leading Goku to couch to lie down before powering back down to his normal state. The younger Saiyan knew that he had fallen asleep very soon after that.

'_Wow, Vegeta stayed here all night with me…' _He thought briefly, before putting his head back down to rest on the other Saiyan's chest. He felt unexpectedly happy at this thought, although he wasn't sure why. It seemed he had grown accustomed to having the older Saiyan with him now; in only less than a short week, Vegeta had gone from being completely absent in his life to being the one stable part about it. He appreciated that fact that the prince had been there for him, although he felt fairly certain that he still annoyed the heck out of Vegeta.

Goku grinned his signature goofball grin, closing his eyes. It wasn't long before the gentle beating of Vegeta's heart has lulled him back into a light slumber.

Vegeta woke up with a start, gasping slightly as his eyes were ripped from the bloody scene before him, and he saw instead a simple white ceiling above him. He stared at it for a few moments, blinking rapidly as he realized he had simply been dreaming… no, remembering… about a planet he had purged many years ago, when he had been a young soldier under Freiza's control. He often thought about such things while he slept, resulting in the usual nightmares. He hated that he was constantly reminded of his former self… of the former darkness he used to embrace. But, he supposed it was a part of his demonic past that he would never forget or escape, no matter how much time passed.

With regained composure, he looked down to his chest, and saw a mass of soft black locks of wild hair. His eyebrows narrowed as he stared, when he abruptly became aware that Kakarot was lying on top of him, snoring as he slept.

He became tense, panicking. Why the hell was he in Kakarot's home, and why the hell was Kakarot sleeping on top of him?! His thoughts raced to the night before, which immediately calmed him. Yes, now he recalled. He had brought the other Saiyan inside, dried both of themselves off with his Super Saiyan form, and then put Kakarot on the couch in the living room. Then he had returned outside, finished the burial of Chi-chi by covering her casket with soil, then returned inside after drying his self off again. He vaguely remembered sitting down on the opposite end of the couch from Kakarot, and closing his eyes just for a moment…

'_Ugh. So I fell asleep here, and he took the liberty in climbing all over me to make his self a nest. Wonderful_,' he thought, annoyed. With a grunt of finality to the matter he pushed Kakarot off of his self, ignoring the startled yelp the other Saiyan gave as he crashed to the floor, and stood. He stretched his arms and shifted the weight on his legs a couple of times, before sauntering off to the kitchen, neglecting to look at Goku as the younger Saiyan glared at him from the floor.

Vegeta fiddled around in the kitchen, searching everywhere for food. He scoured the cupboards first, and then moved to the refrigerator and freezer when he found nothing that interested him. But even there he couldn't find anything more than odds and ends of food and condiments. He was appalled in the least. He knew Kakarot was an endless vacuum that sucked up food left and right. Even Vegeta didn't quite as much as the younger Saiyan did… so why wasn't there any food?!

"Kakarot, what the hell do you eat around here?!" he called, agitation very apparent in his voice.

Goku walked into the room, scratching his head and smiling.

"Hehe, sorry Vegeta… no one's been shopping for at least two weeks."

Vegeta simply grumbled in response and closed the fridge.

"There's nothing to eat," the prince finally said, almost sadly.

"Sorry… I'll have to go to the store… oh man, that's going to be weird. I've never had to shop for food before…" Goku trailed off, his voice dropping. There was no need to continue, since it would only lead to discussion of his deceased mate.

"Kakarot," Vegeta said suddenly, his voice serious.

Goku simply looked at him, and slightly titled his head and raised his brows.

"What will you do now?"

Goku grimaced, his thoughts rolling back to earlier, yesterday. Before his wife's funeral had started, Vegeta had asked the same question, and when Goku had replied, Vegeta had exploded at him. But before he could reply, Vegeta continued.

"Because, I know you too well Kakarot. Even though you told me you plan on staying here, and training, I don't believe that for a second. You'll soon get bored. Then, what will you do?" Vegeta finally finished, his gaze locked onto Goku's.

"Hey, you can't go and assume something like that Vegeta! What gives you the right to say that I'll not stay here?" Goku replied, his voice rising in tone ever so slightly.

Vegeta laughed in mockery.  
"Cut the crap. You know I'm right. You never stay anywhere long."

'_Why am I arguing with him about this?!_' Goku thought.

There was a long pause, and Goku shifted his weight uncomfortably. He looked away from the other Saiyan, not sure what he could say. Whether or not Vegeta was right, Goku could see why he wouldn't believe Goku when he said he would stay…

"I guess…I…" Vegeta's voice cracked, "won't see you again…"

"Yes you will Vegeta; I'm not going anywhere!" Goku defended.

"No, you're going to disappear… and I can't stop you. No one ever could."

The bitterness in the prince's voice was evident, and it caused another silence to envelop the space. Goku didn't know what he could say because Vegeta wouldn't listen.

"I'm going home Kakarot, have a nice life."

"Vegeta, wait!" Goku yelled, but the prince was already out of sight.

'_No! You're not running away from this!_' He thought with determination as he raced out his front door to see Vegeta just taking off into flight. Using incredible speed, Goku burst into the sky and caught up with Vegeta, and grabbed the other Saiyan's arms, clutching his strong muscles.

"Vegeta, please stop. I need to know what's wrong."

"Kakarot, get away from me!" the prince screamed in response, trying to shake him off. But Goku held onto him, as tightly as ever. He refused to let go, not trusting the prince to stay, and instead expected him to blast off the moment he released him.

After a few seconds of glaring at Goku, Vegeta relaxed and dropped his raised arms. He straightened his posture, as if he were standing straight, although they were in the air. He closed his eyes for a moment, as if focusing, trying to find the exact words that he needed. He stayed like that for another few seconds before looking at Goku again. Sensing the calm of Vegeta's demeanor, Goku allowed his own hands to relax, let go of Vegeta, and drop to his side. Vegeta then looked away, and turned his back on the younger Saiyan, but started to speak.

"I don't want to discuss this Kakarot. Some things are better left in the past… and also better left unsaid."

"But you're angry about something… I don't know what it is, but you won't tell me!"

Vegeta turned around to glare at him.

"You're a completely oblivious, idiotic, moron, aren't you?"

Goku returned his glare, raising his fists, clenching them.

"Sometimes Vegeta, I believe that the only reasons we have so many problems between us is because you won't ever talk to me. You expect me to read your mind."

Vegeta snorted in contempt.  
"Let's forget this incident. I'm going home, because I think you're past the worse, and can get through the rest of this by yourself. If you can't, then you're pathetic."

Before Goku could even muster a reply to Vegeta's vicious statement, the prince had taken off further into the sky, and was out of sight a second later. Goku was left behind, utterly speechless. His head spun with a feeling of panic and loss mingled together. He had grown so reliant on Vegeta's very presence that he wasn't sure how he was going to manage without the other fiery Saiyan. He felt foolish for placing any trust in Vegeta; he should have known that any charity from him wouldn't last for long.

But no matter how much he berated his self for becoming attached to Vegeta, he couldn't push away the heavy aching that had formed in his heart.


	8. I promised, for you

Hey, guess what? Here's another update. Oh, bet you didn't see that coming did you? :) Well, I couldn't sleep last night, so I figured it was an excellent opportunity to write some more of the story. :)

Thank you everyone for all of the continous reviews. And thank you Zofonik; my heart goes out to you, and my thoughts are with you also.

* * *

She sighed softly, closing the book she had been reading for almost a week now. The still-lovely woman closed her eyes as she processed the story over again in her mind; she had just closed it for the last time, because she had just read the last page. After a few minutes she smiled to herself, deciding that she was pleased with the novel; it had been a beautifully written romance. The woman opened her eyes again, feeling incredibly happy. She had desired very much that she would complete the novel before she passed on; and now, she could say she had. There was, now, officially nothing in this world that was left undone for her.

Yes, she was ready. She had seen her children and grandchild just yesterday and she had prepared the house and materials to help Vegeta live on without her. She had also talked to Goku, and made him promise that he would stay with Vegeta after she was gone.

With a slightly shaking hand, Bulma laid the book on the table next to where she lounged, and leaned back into the pillows of the couch, closing her eyes again. She hoped Vegeta would come around soon, before she got too weak; she didn't want to die here where guests and maids could pop in and out at any time. She wanted to go to her and Vegeta's room to spend her final hours. She supposed she was being a bit sentimental, maybe even silly, but she wanted to be there; she had spent her most intimate and most incredible moments with Vegeta in their bed. It was one of the few places where he would relax, and drop his tough-guy attitude, just for her.

As if he had heard her very thoughts, Vegeta appeared from around the corner a few minutes later. Bulma looked up to see his face completely emotionless. She could sense that he knew her time was fast approaching. But he wasn't going to be weak.

She smiled as he came to stand by her side.

"Vegeta… I want to go to our room," she whispered weakly, closing her eyes once more, as if keeping them open for long amounts of time required her too much effort.

The Saiyan prince remained silent, but bent over, and picked her up as delicately as he could manage. She snuggled into his broad chest, fitting there perfectly. He tried not to choke on the emotions that were running through his mind as he strode forward, toward their room in the back of the house.

He opened the door, and walked inside, shutting the it behind him. He turned the lamp on that sat on his side of the bed, and then gently laid her in the middle of their large bed. He sat down on the edge of the mattress, letting his legs hang over the side.

"Vegeta, hold me… please," she murmured quietly.

"No, Bulma… it can't be time… no…" he finally croaked in reply.

"I think I'll still be here a little while longer."

"Here, let me take you to the hospital, I'll-"

"No," she interjected. "It's my time Vegeta. I've lived longer than a lot of humans; I've watched so many of my friends pass on; Master Roshi, Oolong, Krillen, Yamcha… heck, even Piccolo is gone, and he wasn't even human."

"I've lived a very fruitful life; I've raised two beautiful children; I've seen the world; I've traveled through space; I've invented countless things; I've been the life of the party. And, I've had you."

Vegeta looked away, grunting in response as he struggled to control his feelings.

She coughed lightly and let out a small moan, indicating she was in pain now. Vegeta didn't understand why she was letting this happen, but he knew he would respect her wishes.

He slowly turned around and crept across the bed as gingerly as he could, moving to sit next to his dying mate. He pulled her to him, placing her body between his legs and laying her at angle against his self. She laid her head on the side of his sturdy chest and placed one hand on the other side. She let out a sigh of contentment and allowed her eyes to close once more. She felt so incredibly tired, but she promised herself she would not fall asleep. Bulma wanted to spend her last hours with her prince.

"Vegeta?"

"Yes?"

"Can you… tell me your favorite memories of our family? It would mean a lot to me."

Vegeta was silent a moment as he contemplated her request. He really didn't like the idea of going back to memories and getting into mushy emotions. But apparently, that's what his mate wanted, so he kicked his pride out the window, and took a deep breath as he began to tell her the stories he had saved within his mind. He talked about the first time they had made love. He talked about watching Trunks go Super Saiyan for the first time. He talked about when he hugged Trunks for the first time before he sacrificed his life to try and end Majin Buu's reign of terror. He talked about all of the family scuffles they had had over dinner. He talked about looking upon his beautiful baby girl, Bura, for the very first time, and holding her in his arms. He talked about taking Bura to her first day of kindergarten. But he also talked about small, little details that Bulma had never imagined that he would remember; like what she had worn on a date they went on years ago, or the day Trunks got his driver's license. Hearing the man she loved more than life recall such precious and such small things brought her such intense joy that she felt herself begin to cry.

"Bulma, Bulma! What's wrong? Do you hurt?" he asked urgently, grabbing the hand she had laid on his chest hours ago.

"No, I'm okay. You just… you've made me so happy Vegeta. I love you so much… I want to stay with you forever," she cried softly, tears rolling slowly down her cheeks.

He held her tighter, as if daring death to come closer. As if he could fight it off, like an unseen enemy.

Her breaths were now apparently ragged, and he could tell she was labored to simply breath. He felt his head start to spin, and his emotions start to take control of the situation.

"Vegeta, please don't cry," she rasped.

Vegeta blinked, and it took him a few seconds to realize why she had said that.

He was crying now. Tears rolled down his own cheeks now, cascading into her faded aqua-colored hair. He tried to wipe them away, but as soon as he did, more replaced them. He gave up, and instead focused on the fading life force of his mate.

"Bulma, I love you," he choked, holding her tighter, and watched her face relaxing as pain left her body, She opened her eyes to gaze at him. They were as blue as he had ever seen them.

"I love you too… I love you so much Vegeta…" she said, giving a weak smile. He gently touched her face as she spoke, soothing her as best as he could.

Then she closed her eyes, and met with darkness.

Vegeta sat holding her, unable to move. His mouth was slightly agape as his eyes searched for life that was no longer there. He had felt her last intake of breath almost thirty seconds ago. He had felt her ki slip away, and fade forever from earth. He had felt a slicing pain wash over his heart ten seconds later as he understood she was gone.

Gone.

Forever, gone from him.

Gritting his teeth against the grief that crashed against his heart, he gave a feral cry of despair. Tears were fresh across his face again as he buried his face in her hair. He sat there for almost an hour, crying out in agonizing pain over the loss of his mate. He didn't give a damn if he was making a blubbering fool of his self. Nothing mattered.

No, nothing mattered anymore.

Bulma was gone. There was no reason for anything anymore.

He wanted to die with her. Escape this terrible, dark room that gave him flash backs of nothing but his blue-eyed angel.

He didn't know how much longer he lay with her body in his arms like that, her head still resting against him. Time seemed to freeze, and nothing changed.

But what could have been minutes later or days later, he felt something try to take her body from him. He let out a screech, oblivious to the world, as he fought to keep her in his arms. But whatever was taking her was as strong as he was, and was finally able to pry her away. He whimpered in defeat, and reached out blindly, desperately looking for his mate. He needed her, he needed her damnit! When he found that she had vanished he leapt from his place, but suddenly found something stronger than him wrapping its arms around him. He slumped down into the grasp, admitting defeat. He was barely coherent at this point; he no longer had any strength to fight whatever insisted on holding him, although he hated to be touched.

He felt a warm hand rubbing across his back in a soothing motion, and he felt slightly comforted. He slowly reached up to clutch the clothing of whoever held him, and let out a low moan of agony. He didn't think about anything after that though; blackness surrounded him, and he welcomed it with open arms. Maybe, he would find Bulma there.

* * *

"Is he going to be okay?" Trunks asked as he eyed Goku.

"Yeah. He was there for me when Chi-chi died… I'll be here for him now." Goku replied, still stroking Vegeta's back as the prince slept in his arms.

Trunks shifted his gaze uncomfortably. It bothered him to see his once proud father collapsed in Goku's arms, looking practically dead. He couldn't begin to comprehend _why_ it was Goku that was supporting his father… after all, the last he knew, his father still despised Goku, at least slightly.

"Okay. Well… I've made arrangements… and people are going to start stopping by pretty soon. I think it would be best if you could take him to one our spare rooms, further away from here." Trunks said, his gaze resting upon his mother's still body.

"Right," Goku replied. "Where do I go?"

"Hmm… oh, I know. When you walk out of here, take a left, go to the end of the hallway, take another left, follow that hallway to the end, and take the last room to the right," Trunks replied.

Goku looked at him a moment, amazed that Trunks knew exactly where the room was without even looking.

"What? I lived here for almost twenty years Goku," he chuckled.

"Oh, right. Okay then, I'll take him there."

Goku stood up with the other Saiyan slouched in his arms, and walked out of the room, following Trunks' directions. He came to the room after about two minutes of walking. He opened the door to find a modest room, seemingly normal compared to Vegeta and Bulma's lavish room. There was a simple queen sized bed with a crimson colored bedspread, and a small nightstand next to the bed. There was a small television, a single chest of drawers, and a door that most likely led to a bathroom. There was only one window in the whole room.

Goku thought it might be too basic for Vegeta's royal taste, and he wondered why Trunks had sent him here. But after thinking about it for a second, he realized that this room was probably the furthest room to the back of the house, and that it was highly unlikely anyone would disturb Vegeta here, considering it was by a dead end and tucked away into a quiet space.

He moved to the bed, holding Vegeta with one arm, and pulling back the blankets with the other. He put the prince down on the comfortable mattress, and was about to leave when he saw a disturbed look spread across Vegeta's face in his sleep. Goku realized that though Dende had blessed Vegeta with sleep now, the prince still subconsciously felt alone.

Not taking another moment to think it over again, he sat down on the bed, and pulled the covers over the both of them. He knew that Vegeta would most likely freak out and attack him when he woke up later, but something inside of Goku longed for him to try and comfort the other Saiyan, no matter what the later consequences were. He didn't know why, but he felt that being there for Vegeta was the most important thing in the world right now.

He sat with his back against the head board of the bed, with his rival and friend in his arms. He knew exactly what kind of pain Vegeta would be in when he awoke. He would awake to a world of heart ache and misery in a sense he had never experienced. Goku knew Vegeta had been through complete hell during his life; but he would go through a much different sort of hell now. It couldn't quite be described to someone who had never experienced the loss of a child or mate.

'_I know you're bothered by me sometimes Vegeta, but please, please don't push me away now. I have you all figured out; when you hurt, you lash out at everyone to push them away. But I'm here for you my friend, and you need me as much as I need you.'_

Goku eventually felt his self dozing off. He figured Vegeta would have a hissy-fit when he woke up. But Goku didn't care.

He had promised Bulma to watch over her prince when she passed away.

He had promised his self he would watch over the prince.


End file.
